Hi Everyone,

Tomorrow, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands is hosting a hearing on H.R. 2181, Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act of 2019 at 10:00am ET.

Livestream link: http://bit.ly/2QEgA8u

Please use the guidance in this toolkit (also below) to show your support for protecting the cultural, recreational, and historical resources in the Greater Chaco region from the Trump administration’s efforts to expand oil and gas development on public lands.

STG will be monitoring the hearing tomorrow morning and adding guidance in real-time to the toolkit. Please check back in throughout the morning for updated guidance.

Please share widely- thanks!

Lauren


HNRC: National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Subcommittee Legislative Hearing on the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act (H.R. 2181)

Overview | Topline Messaging | Social Guidance

Overview

On Wednesday, June 5th, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands is hosting a hearing on H.R. 2181, Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act of 2019. This bill was recently introduced by Representative Ben Ray Luján  (D-NM), co-sponsored by Representatives Torres Small, Haaland, Grijalva, and Lowenthal and proposes to withdraw oil and gas resources and other minerals that are located roughly  within ten miles of Chaco Culture National Historical Park from future leasing and development.


New Mexico Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich also introduced companion legislation in the Senate to protect the Greater Chaco landscape from encroaching oil and gas development.


Please use the guidance below to show your support for protecting the cultural, recreational, and historical resources in the Greater Chaco region from the Trump administration’s efforts to expand oil and gas development on public lands.


*WATCH THE HEARING HERE AT 10:00 AM ET*


Topline Messaging

  • The entire New Mexico congressional delegation recently sponsored the introduction of H.R. 2181, Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act of 2019 - legislation that, if passed, would provide important and needed protection for the heart of the Chaco landscape. This bill has broad support in New Mexico, including from the All Pueblo Council of Governors and Navajo Nation.

  • New Mexico is the third-largest oil producing state in the country, and expanding oil and gas development poses serious threats to cultural, historical, and recreational resources sacred to communities and tribes throughout the state, in particular in the Greater Chaco Landscape.

  • The Greater Chaco Landscape includes Chaco Culture National Historical Park and dozens of ancient villages, roads, and shrines that were built by the culture that emerged and flourished in Chaco Canyon from 850 -1250 A.D. Many of these sites are culturally important to modern-day tribes, and several have been designated as World Heritage Sites.

  • The Trump administration has attempted to lease land for oil and gas development within 10 miles of the park three times in the last two years, each time deferring the sensitive parcels just weeks before the sale after strong opposition from stakeholders, including the All Pueblo Council of Governors.



Social Guidance

Handles

Committee Handle

@NRDems

Members of Congress

@repbenraylujan

@RepDebHaaland

@RepTorresSmall

@RepRaulGrijalva

@RepLowenthal

@SenatorTomUdall

@MartinHeinrich

Agencies/ Landscapes

@ChacoCultureNHP

@Interior

@BLMNational

Witnesses

@NNVPLizer2019

Hashtags

#ProtectChaco

#oilandgas

#EnergyDominance


Livestream link: http://bit.ly/2QEgA8u


General

WATCH NOW 👀: @NRDems hearing on @repbenraylujan, @RepDebHaaland, @RepTorresSmall’s bill that would #ProtectChaco from expanding #oilandgas development in New Mexico http://bit.ly/2QEgA8u


HEARING TODAY: @NRDems hear testimony on @repbenraylujan, @RepDebHaaland, @RepTorresSmall’s bill to #ProtectChaco, communities, & tribes from expanding #oilandgas development w/in 10 miles of @ChacoCultureNHP. Watch HERE→ http://bit.ly/2QEgA8u


HAPPENING NOW→ @NRDems hold hearing on @repbenraylujan, @RepDebHaaland, @RepTorresSmall’s bill to create a 10-mile buffer zone around @ChacoCultureNHP & #ProtectChaco from expanding #oilandgas development. http://bit.ly/2QEgA8u



.@repbenraylujan, @RepDebHaaland, & @RepTorresSmall support protections for @ChacoCultureNHP from expanding #oilandgas development. Thank you for fighting to #ProtectChaco & the irreplaceable resources in New Mexico! http://bit.ly/2QEgA8u


.@repbenraylujan, @RepDebHaaland, @RepTorresSmall’s #ProtectChaco bill must go to the floor for a vote & final passage to give Tribes and businesses in New Mexico the certainty they deserve & to stop wasting taxpayer $$


Energy Dominance

.@ChacoCultureNHP is one of the most remarkable landscapes in North America but Trump's #EnergyDominance agenda continues to put the cultural, historic, & recreational resources in the area at risk. RT to #ProtectChaco. http://bit.ly/2QEgA8u


For 2 years @Interior has threatened @ChacoCultureNHP with their #EnergyDominance policy, pushing for more #oilandgas development instead of protecting this sacred place. RT to support @repbenraylujan’s bill to #ProtectChaco. http://bit.ly/2QEgA8u


~90% of federal lands in NW New Mexico has already been leased for development. We can & MUST set aside lands w/in 10 miles of @ChacoCultureNHP from future development to #ProtectChaco for years to come. http://bit.ly/2QEgA8u


Thank You

Thank you @repbenraylujan, @RepDebHaaland, @RepTorresSmall, @RepRaulGrijalva, & @RepLowenthal for introducing a bill to #ProtectChaco and the cultural, recreational, & historical resources in the region from expanding #oilandgas development!


.@repbenraylujan, @RepDebHaaland, & @RepTorresSmall’s #ProtectChaco bill recognizes that some places, like @ChacoCultureNHP, are special & need protection from encroaching #oilandgas development! Thank you for your work to protect NM's #PublicLands!